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Paul the apostle wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:5, "For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake." He has here set forth the duty, theme, and attitude of gospel preachers. We first emphasize the duty, identifying it in this message, distinguishing it in the next.

We preach. In the Greek language in which the New Testament was first written, the word here translated "preach" is kerusso. It derives from a word (keryx) which "denotes the man who is commissioned by his ruler or the state to call out with a clear voice some item of news and so to make it known" (New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology). The duty of gospel preachers is therefore to serve God as His heralds, to announce, make known, and proclaim His message. Consider:

1) We preach because we have been commanded by Jesus Christ to do so (Acts 10:42): "And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead." His command is in His Great Commission (Mark 16:15f): "... 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned." Christ will judge us preachers according to whether or not we have preached His gospel. And He will judge you, our hearers, according to whether or not you have obeyed our message by believing upon Him for the salvation of your souls.

2) We preach because preaching is necessary for the salvation of the lost. Paul taught this doctrine in Romans 10:13-15: "For 'whoever calls upon the name of the LORD shall be saved' [Joel 2:32]. How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent?..." No soul will be saved apart from hearing the gospel. Since we are concerned for the salvation of your soul, we preach the gospel to you.

3) We preach the same message preached by Jesus Christ (Luke 4:18f). Like Him, we have been anointed and sent "to preach the gospel to the poor, ... to preach deliverance to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, ... to preach the acceptable year of the LORD." To "preach the gospel" is to herald the good news, or glad tidings, of salvation in Christ to all who will believe. To "preach deliverance" is to announce that all who are enslaved by sin and Satan will be liberated through believing this gospel. To "preach the acceptable year of the LORD" is to declare that now is the time to believe: "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:2).

4) We preach with the same exhortation given by Jesus Christ at the commencement of His own gospel ministry (Mark 1:14f): "... Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, '... Repent, and believe in the gospel.'" Like Him, we declare "the gospel of the kingdom of God": the good news, or glad tidings, that the reign of God has been established upon the earth, and that Christ Himself has been established as its king. Like Him, we declare that God consequently requires us all to forsake our sin and to receive Christ as Lord and Savior.

5) We preach in many different ways, as each particular case warrants. When Paul, directed by the Holy Spirit, charges us to "Preach the word," he furthermore directs us to "Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching" (2 Timothy 4:1f). To "convince" is to convict you of your sin and guilt in order that you might repent. To "rebuke" is to sharply reprimand you if you do not repent, ascertaining that you are aware of the severity with which God will deal with you if you do not. To "exhort" is to lovingly and tenderly admonish you to repent and believe.

Have you believed the message we have preached to you?

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